Just Like Magic (16 page)

The reception was magnificent, too. The cake was easily four feet tall. I caught sight of the serving staff, and there was Lottie, beaming. “I helped with beating it up, miss,” she informed me in a whisper. “Now get over there and cut it!”

So I did. It was part silver spice and part cinnamon chocolate, and I loved every bite. Gregory had two pieces, and Gerta had four.

And there was dancing! As I stopped to catch my breath between waltzes, however, I was interrupted by a whisper from behind the drapes.

“Psst! Miss! I mean Your Highness!” A face poked out—Henry’s, looking unnaturally clean.

I excused myself from Gregory and slipped behind the curtain out onto the terrace where Henry stood. He was holding something behind his back. “I wanted to give you your present, miss—Ma’am!”

“Oh, Henry! I don’t think I can stand it if you ‘Ma’am’ and ‘Your Highness’ me. It just doesn’t sound right.”

“No, but it’s proper, miss. I mean Ma’am.”

“Well, we’ll work on it, then.”

“Here, now!” He brought a small box, inexpertly wrapped in white paper, from behind his back and handed it to me. I opened it with curiosity, then gasped as I took out something sparkling.

“Henry, you shouldn’t have!”

“Aw, m—Ma’am, it ain’t that much! I just thought Archibald needed something finer, seeing as he’s a royal dog now and all!”

I examined the object more closely. It was a black dog collar, apparently studded with diamonds.

“They ain’t real, you know,” he added, as I stood speechless. “He’s just an ol’ dog, but it does look fine in the sunlight, don’t you think, mis—Ma’am—Your Highness?”

I finally found my tongue. “It’s dazzling! Thank you so much, Henry. Archibald will shine down all the other dogs.”

“Well, that’s what I thought, miss!” Henry sighed with relief. “And it was better’n your sisters’ presents, anyway! Who needs an old eyeglasses thing? Or a bunch of feathers?”

Lucy had given me an ivory and crystal lorgnette, and Gerta had given me a purple feather boa with a diamond pin. I laughed. “Henry, this is perfect.”

He grinned. “You’d best be getting back in, miss, where you’re needed. I mean Ma’am! And here’s His Royal Highness now!”

I hugged Henry, took Gregory’s arm, and went back inside. And there was more dancing and eating and drinking and toasts, and all too soon it was time to get ready for our honeymoon trip and throw the wedding bouquet. I stood halfway up the grand staircase and tossed my bouquet over my shoulder toward the crowd of unmarried females at the bottom of the stairs. There was an “Ow!” as I turned around. Lucy held the bouquet, smiling smugly. Gerta nursed her elbow nearby with a murderous expression.

“I’ve been standing here for ages, just to get the best place, then she elbowed me! And it was coming right toward me!” she wailed as I went by.

“Never mind, your time will come!” And even as I moved toward the door, where Gregory waited for me, I saw that persistent lieutenant edging toward her through the crowd. She gave a little shriek and dove back outside.

Stepmama caught my arm and gave me a kiss as Gregory and I headed out the door. “Have a wonderful trip, dear,” she quavered. “And I’ll do my best to look after your dog, though I’m not sure how Mon Petit will like it. I do hope it will be all right.”

“I’m sure it will. Archibald should love the country!” I kissed her on the cheek. Stepmama was going to live in the dower-house on the duke’s estate, and Gregory had asked her if she would take Archibald while we were away. “Well—” she had said doubtfully, but Gregory had smiled, shaken her hand firmly, and said, “Good, that’s settled, and thank you so much,” as her mouth dropped open. “I don’t think he’d do at the palace while we were away,” he’d told me later. “If he’s with your stepmother, then Henry can look after him and they’ll get along fine.” Henry, too, was going to the country, as gardener and chore boy for Stepmama. Lucy and Gerta had already established rooms in the palace.

But now it was time to leave. We started down the steps toward the carriage that waited to drive us to Newport and our ship.

“Wait!” We turned, startled, to see Anna Cameron (soon to be Totley) and Mrs. Wilkins pushing toward us through the crowd.

“This is for you,” explained Mrs. Wilkins breathlessly, handing me a little box. “We didn’t want you to forget Little Owlthorpe, now!”

“It’s a piece of cake,” added Anna as I hugged her. “From the celebration at Little Owlthorpe today. I had James drive over and get it after the ceremony.”

“They’ve been having quite the party, I hear!” Mrs. Wilkins beamed. “Anyway, this is made from your mother’s recipe, and we thought you’d want some.”

“Want some?” My eyes filled with tears. “I wish I could have been there!”

“We’ll have another party when you get back,” Anna promised.

Godmother stood back and surveyed my dress. “Ella, you’re almost as pretty as your mother. Now run along and have a wonderful trip!”

I turned to Gregory, who smiled at me, held out his hand, and said, “Shall we go, Your Highness?”

And I looked one last time at everyone on the palace steps, waving and cheering. Henry stood on a railing, hanging onto a pillar and whistling loudly. The king and queen stood at the head of the stairs, nodding regally. Mrs. Wilkins and Anna, Lottie, Stepmama, even Lucy and Gerta—everyone was there. No, not everyone. How Papa would have loved it, and Mama—

But somehow, perhaps, they knew.

My hand tightened on the little box of cake, and I smiled back at Gregory, took his hand, and climbed into the carriage.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to all my family and friends, who were happy to see me write this book many years ago and have followed its publication with great interest and assistance. Special thanks go to Aurora and Julie, who helped me edit. Your assistance was invaluable—and any mistakes left are mine alone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Townsend grew up avidly watching Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” on TV every year, so it’s no wonder that her first novel is a Cinderella retelling.

She lives in the state of Washington with her cat, her computer, her favorite books, and a yard gnome. While she’s not at her day job in the library, she’s busy with a few projects—such as completing a sequel to
Just Like Magic
.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – A Dark Descent

Chapter 2 – Dishes and Dogs

Chapter 3 – Roast Beef and Ashes

Chapter 4 – The Season of Madness

Chapter 5 – Lower and Lower

Chapter 6 – A Visit to Little Owlthorpe

Chapter 7 – Cinders for Ella

Chapter 8 – Two Invitations

Chapter 9 – Just Like Magic

Chapter 10 – At the Ball

Chapter 11 – Slipper, Slipper

Chapter 12 – Who's Got the Slipper?

Chapter 13 – In the Library

Chapter 14 – Happily Ever After

Acknowledgments

About the Author